It is known to use electrical connectors capable of transferring electrical current in excess of 100 Amperes (100 A) in electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs). As non-EVs and non-HEVs become increasingly electrified to reduce greenhouse gasses, electrical connectors require increasingly robust, reliable, and safe designs.
High current connectors have used torsional contact beams to increase the contact force between male and female electrical terminals. These contact beams have typically only had two contact points on each beam. Increasing electrical current carrying capacity of these connector designs is typically accomplished by increasing the number of beams to increase the number of contact points which will cause an undesirable increase in the size of the terminal components, making the resulting connector systems more difficult to package within a vehicle. Therefore, a high current electrical connector that has increased current capacity without increased size remains desired.
The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions.